Zenith Bank
Encyclopedia
Zenith Bank Plc. is a Nigeria
n bank based in Victoria Island
, Lagos
. As of November 2007, it is the largest company in the country and in all of West Africa
, with total assets of 2.1 billion dollars according to the banks advertisement in CNN. In addition to Nigeria, the bank has branches in the Gambia, Ghana
, Sierra Leone
, South Africa
, and the United Kingdom
.
in July 2004, and had an initial public offering on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on October 21 of that year. Also in 2004, credit rating agency
Fitch Ratings
identified its credit as AA- on their long-term scale.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n bank based in Victoria Island
Victoria Island (Nigeria)
Victoria Island is an affluent town that encompasses a former island of the same name that sits between Lagos Island and the Lekki Peninsula in the Lagos Lagoon. It is the main business and financial centre of Lagos, Nigeria. Victoria Island is one of the most exclusive and expensive areas to...
, Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
. As of November 2007, it is the largest company in the country and in all of West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, with total assets of 2.1 billion dollars according to the banks advertisement in CNN. In addition to Nigeria, the bank has branches in the Gambia, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Employees
Jim Ovia is the company's pioneer chief executive officer, Godwin Emefiele is current Managing Director, and Peter Amangbo, Apollos lkpobe, Elias Igbin-Akenzua, and Udom Emmanuel are Executive Directors. Macaulay Pepple is chairman of the board. The company has a total of 3,911 employees. In January of 2010 the Board of Directors of the Bank announced a change. The Board of Zenith Bank Plc announced the appointment of Godwin Emefiele as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer designate of the Zenith Bank.History
Zenith Bank was established in May 1990. It became a public limited companyPublic limited company
A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....
in July 2004, and had an initial public offering on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on October 21 of that year. Also in 2004, credit rating agency
Credit rating agency
A Credit rating agency is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves...
Fitch Ratings
Fitch Ratings
The Fitch Group is a majority-owned subsidiary of FIMALAC, headquartered in Paris. Fitch Ratings, Fitch Solutions and Algorithmics, are part of the Fitch Group....
identified its credit as AA- on their long-term scale.
Awards won
- 2007 African Bank of the Year (awarded by African Investor magazine)
- 2007 Quoted Company of the Year (awarded by Nigerian Stock Exchange)
- 2007 Socially Responsible Bank of the Year (awarded by African Banker magazine)
- 2005 Most Respected Bank in Nigeria (awarded by PricewaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms....
) - 2005 Bank of the Year (awarded by The BankerThe BankerThe Banker is an English-language monthly international financial affairs publication owned by The Financial Times Ltd. and edited in London...
magazine)